Baby name
RISING
🇫🇷 🇩🇪 🇬🇧 Merlin
/MER · lin/
Meaning
“Sea fortress”
Old Welsh name, anglicized from Myrddin, possibly meaning sea fortress; eternally linked to Arthurian legend, giving it magical literary resonance.
Nicknames
merl
Vibe
gentle
How it ages.
Timeless literary name; the wizard association is so strong it works as both whimsical and serious.
The cultural moment.
Consistent low-to-moderate use in the UK and France; growing interest in Germany and the US since 2010.